Luzerne County Area Director - Youth For Christ

Position Summary

What goes through your mind when you drive by a local public high school? What happens in your heart when you see them getting out of school walking across the street in front of your car?

If you are thinking, “Someone needs to tell them about Jesus!”, or asking yourself, “Who is telling them about Christ’s love and forgiveness?”, then we’d love to talk to you about being a missionary to today’s generation of lost young people.

We have two positions open as area ministry coordinators. Responsibilities would include building school-specific Campus Life after-school club ministries, training volunteers in relation ministry actions through which we build Authentic Christ-Sharing Relationships with teenagers.

Other tools in our ministry toolbox include Parent Life for pregnant and parenting teens, City Life for urban community teens, and Another Voice for at-risk youth.

Along with these ministries we use wakeboarding and water-skiing as a tool to build relationships. We own two competition water ski and wakeboard boats. We do numerous trips and other events to strengthen our message to teens.

The successful candidate will possess the qualifications suggested under 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. The ideal candidate will be able to organize activities and events in order to reach lost teens with the Good News or salvation through Jesus Christ. This person must be willing to serve and support local churches while sharing youth ministry resources. This person reports to the Executive Director as a key part of the leadership team. S/he is primarily responsible for, but not limited to, overseeing ministry and representing YFC in the local community of Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas within Luzerne County. This includes oversight of ministry sites, shepherding through the supervision of the ministry staff and their leadership development, resourcing the staff as they implement effective ministry, development of future ministry sites, community collaboration and fund development.

Essential Functions

Ministry Health

Build, direct, and guide the ministry team in your area through the 5 Essentials and National Ministry best practices.
Manage current ministry staff team through individual supervision and regular area staff meetings.
Develop current ministry sites health and growth.
Regularly evaluate ministry effectiveness while helping sites and site leaders grow.
Volunteer oversight for your area; work with site directors to develop a recruiting, training and retention plan for volunteers and volunteer teams.
Potentially work with other area directors and oversight of volunteer intake process.
Build deep community relationships in and around current ministry sites. This will include liaising with other area youth leaders in both the Christian and secular community (i.e. church youth pastors, school officials, etc.).
Provide ministry resources for trips and events while spearheading events or assist during these events. These events will range in size from small house parties to large events like skating parties or weekend retreats
Consistently involved in local ministry with lost teens. The clubs are geographically aligned (usually corresponding to school districts) and meet in homes.
Initiate and maintain contacts with donors through personal contact, speaking engagements and regular correspondence.
Perform administrative tasks as required by the Executive Director and the Board of Directors (reporting, scheduling, etc.).

Ministry Growth

Represent Youth for Christ to the local community through attendance at events, speaking engagements, etc. and effectively present the goals of Youth for Christ.
Work with the Executive Director in developing vision for ministry expansion in your area
Mobilize the Christian community in its efforts to reach lost youths by networking.
Initiate new and creative ministries within the Youth for Christ structure.
Support and train new ministry staff in community development and ministry in their first year
Build a strategic community collaboration plan for new sites

Leadership Development

Build a culture of people development within the chapter
Invest in direct reports’ growth and development
Aid new ministry staff in their journey through the initial YFC Credentialing process
Participate in the wider movement for your continued personal growth (regionally & nationally)
Oversight of any internship programs for investment in raising up young leaders Donor Development
Be involved in all team-oriented fundraising efforts
Win, keep and lift donors
Walk with the Executive Director or Chief Ministry Officer in the process of pursuing significant donors
Develop local support to assist with current and new ministry sites
Assist site directors in developing local Community Support Teams when appropriate

Spiritual Responsibilities

Because the overriding religious purpose and mission of Youth for Christ USA is to communicate and introduce the Gospel of Jesus Christ to young people and their families, and in that regard to make, educate and encourage life-long disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is very important that you as an employee in the movement of Youth for Christ be recognized as an associate minister of the Gospel. As an employee of Youth for Christ and an associate minister of the Gospel, YFC expects all employees to:

Seek God’s guidance and wisdom, through prayer and meditation, for the organization as a whole as well as for specific ministry initiatives.
Participate and lead regular times of prayer, devotion and worship as a regular aspect of your role within YFC.
Teach and preach from the Holy Bible at YFC staff meetings, conferences, camps and events.
Model empathy, humility and care for all people. This includes promoting equity and inclusion in word and in the practice of faith expression.

YFC employees will have an opportunity to be commissioned or licensed as a minister of the Gospel through the established Youth for Christ process, and/or ordained by an outside body recognized by Youth for Christ USA.

Position Requirements

Knowledge & Skills

Willing to demonstrate and/or possesses the following:

Possess the qualifications for leadership within the Body of Christ as outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1
Must be above reproach in both the Christian and secular society.
Must hold fast to the deep truths of the Faith.
Possess a good knowledge of the Scriptures and the ability to teach, specifically effective in small group environment.
Possess the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Must be called to minister and evangelize youth and feel God's leading in this direction. Have a heart for youth and desire to see lives changed through faith in Jesus Christ.
Demonstrate creativity in reaching young people wherever they are, whatever their likes and whatever their culture.
Ability to humbly serve and honor others even in difficult situations with prayer, consistency, transparency, and resilience. (Enduring Humility).
Demonstrates proper reliance on God, others, and self through generous giving of time and skills, by collaboratively incorporating others’ ideas, welcoming candid input, recognizing others’ need for grace and extending forgiveness and empathy. (Relentless Trust).
Prioritizes others’ needs for a missional outcome, characterized by joy, with active listening and problem-solving skills, while encouraging and empowering fellow believers. (Joyful Camaraderie).
Trusts God with new approaches and changes, and communicates needs and limits with emotional intelligence, while seeking confidence and wisdom in Christ. (Courageous Faithfulness)
Seeks authentic Christ-Centered relationships with people of various backgrounds, fosters an inviting environment and empowers historically marginalized groups and indigenous populations (within the local context), through active listening, inclusion, advocacy for those who are vulnerable and respect of others’ experiences. (Kingdom Inspired Diversity).

Primary and Secondary Steward Responsibilities

Employees may be assigned a Primary Steward of any of the following: Volunteer(s), Donor(s), Vendor(s), Chapter(s), Processes, Standards and Best Practices (PSBPs). All Employees are assigned the role of Secondary Steward, which plays a supporting role to the Primary Steward to serve a chapter in a specific way, for a specific timeframe as determined by the Primary Steward. Secondary Stewards can be assigned to focus on specific management issues like YFC compliance, legal, risk, strategic planning, fund development coaching, staff development coaching, new ministry site development, process stewardship or a variety of other equipping roles.

Fundraising Responsibilities

All YFC employees are expected to regularly and actively participate in faithful activities that advance the stewardship functions of YFC/USA. These activities will include—but are not limited to— extending invitations to fund raising events, recruiting personal circle of influence/YFC donor contacts, sending letters, handwritten notes, personal calls, and personally ministering to donor contacts.

Future Growth Opportunities

Represent Youth for Christ to the local community through attendance at events, speaking engagements, etc. and effectively present the goals of Youth for Christ.
Mobilize the Christian community in its efforts to reach lost youths by networking.
Initiate new and creative ministries within the Youth for Christ structure.
Increased responsibility in administration and management of staff as necessary and desired.

Credentials Required & Preferred Education

The candidate must have a Bachelors degree in a related field (i.e. Ministry, Youth Pastoral Ministries, etc.) from an evangelical, Bible-believing college. This position is an entry level position. However, some experience with working in small group ministry or discipleship settings is desired. Prior experience with teens is desired.

Pre-employment Requirements

The candidate must agree with the Youth for Christ mission statement and statement of faith. Any offer of employment is contingent upon meeting pre-employment requirements, which included, but are not limited to, drug screening, national criminal background check and child abuse background check, etc.

EOE Statement

YFC is classified as an Association of Churches and as such our hiring practices reflect that designation. As a religious nonprofit organization, Youth For Christ incorporates within each leader role, the requirement to model, teach, share and live the faith. The relationship between YFC’s mission and each of its leaders is its lifeblood and as such does at all times and in all instances reserve the right to make employment decisions based upon a person’s religious beliefs, personal character and lifestyle consistent with our understanding of the Bible or with our overall goals and requirements for Christian ministry.

We seek to create a workplace that is intentional about Kingdom Inspired Diversity. Our commitment to our employees extends to their opportunities for growth, development, promotion, training and compensation.

We will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to the organization.

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